


Agapornis Personata

by FudoTwin17



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: AU, Actually she didn't, Aliens, Aliens try to take the earth in secret, Alternate Universe, But Conner doesn't know that, Dick has secrets, Dick has wings, Dick is an alien, Evil OC, F/M, Gen, Lex Luthor's sister had a thing with Superman, Others are aliens too but they don't know that, Poor Dick, Prince Dick, The Flying Graysons, The League - Freeform, Wingfic, aliens pretend to be friends, lex luthor - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-18
Updated: 2014-04-18
Packaged: 2018-01-19 22:02:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1485637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FudoTwin17/pseuds/FudoTwin17
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the Earth is invaded by "peaceful" aliens, a group of teens become friends with the alien prince. However, they find out what "peaceful" really means very quickly. When the earth's fate is placed in their hands, what will they do? Will they save the world or give it up for one person? What secrets does the mysterious prince hold? What is the Justice League?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

"Aunt Adriana, how do we do this?" The ebony asked as they walked through the bright halls of the ship. It was too bright for it's purposes. "I mean-"

"Stand down, Dick." She replied. She was a somewhat tall woman. She had curled black hair tied in a ponytail and dark blue eyes. Her skin was pale. She wore black boots and a small black dress that was short and much too low for most's taste. From her back sprouted angelic white wings.

"Yes, Aunt-" The thirteen year old began, but was interrupted.

"And stop. You are to call me your mother. You know the rules. You are to be my child. You are my son. The Earthlings must wholeheartedly believe that." She commanded, pursing her crimson colored lips.

"Yes, mother." He replied.

"Now, go. You have work to do." She stated.

"Yes, mother." Dick repeated, bowing, but pausing before he left. "Mother, when do we strike?"

"Tomorrow. Tomorrow morning." She stated. "Get to work."

"Yes, mother." Dick said one last time before turning. No, this boy was special. He didn't have wings like the rest of his kind, the Agapornis personata. Instead, this boy was different. His black hair and dark blue eyes made him look very much like his aunt, making it plausible that he was her child, but it wasn't true. He wore tight black clothing that stuck to his skin. His eyes flashed, though, if one looked at him. His wings were different. His wings were small and, instead of white, they were a deep gray with a bright red, yet somehow speckled with white.

He was different than the rest of his kind.

But it went further than looks.

But that didn't matter right that moment.

What mattered was winning. They were taking over the Earth, and there was nothing that could stop them. And Dick had his own role in it.

But some small part of him wondered if he should. He wondered if it were right. Was it? He didn't know, but he knew that he had work to do. And he knew what would happen if he didn't do his job.

And he knew what would happen if he did not do as he was told.

So, Dick walked on. He wasn't planning on rebelling. He had to do what he was told and do it perfectly. That was his job. He marched into his room, sitting at a desk and reviewing what had to be done, how he had to do it, and why he needed to do it.

He had to do what he could. All he really had to do, though, was play his part to the public of the Earthen world. And after that-

Dick stopped himself. He didn't need to go that far ahead yet. It would happen in due time. He didn't need to be worrying about it every moment. He was irreplaceable. He had a job and he had to do it. There was no replacement. He couldn't shrug it off. He could laugh and say it didn't matter, because it did. That was how it was.

How it was since he was eight.

How it would be for the rest of his life.


	2. When the Sky Fell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aliens have arrived.

"Are you seriously reading that for English?" Barbara asked, moving her fluffy, red hair behind her ear. She wore a loose undershirt and jeans. She stared at the blond across from her.

"Yeah." Replied Artemis, frowning. Casually, she leaned forward in her seat, letting the morning breeze more easily hit her through her white shirt and loose, green pants.

"Well, H.G. Wells is a good writer." Kaldur pointed out, leaning forward in his light shirt. His hand was on his blue jeans, and the tapping of his Nike shoes could be easily heard under the table.

"Yeah!" Agreed Megan happily from beside Conner. Her brown eyes showed with excitement as she said it. She had an easy seventies style as she wore her blue dress. "It's one of my favorite books of all time!"

Conner shrugged from beside her. "The movie's good." He wore a tight black shirt with jeans. His simple way of saying things left the table quiet.

At at that moment, the teens were all sitting at an outside table for a restaurant. Sure, they didn't have any food or anything, but that didn't mean they couldn't make use of the empty table. Besides, it was their meeting point where they would decide what to do that day. But there was a reason the teens were still there.

One of them was late.

Again.

It must have been ten minutes before they heard the slap of sneakers against the rough, broken up pavement. And when they looked up, it was Wally. He was running toward them, messy red hair barely presentable and his clothes looking as if he had just thrown them on. It was extremely noticeable that his shirt was inside out. As soon as he reached them, he leaned over and took deep breaths. Only halfway through his second gulp did he look up and smile. "Hey! Sorry . . . I'm late."

Artemis rolled her eyes, standing. "You're the fastest guy on the track team, yet you're always late."

"Always." Conner repeated for emphasis.

Wally just gave them a laughing smile. He always looked like he was laughing, whether or not he was smiling or sad or upset.

Megan stood, along with the rest of the teens, glancing at her watch. "Well, since Wally made us late for the movie, I guess we'll just have to catch the next one. We've got about two and a half hours to fill. What do you guys want to do?"

Barbara looked at the track star. "Thanks, Wally."

"Sorry?" He asked, standing up taller after catching his breath.

"Well, we could always-" Began Kaldur, but what he was about to say was to be unknown to the world. At that exact moment, their lives were turned upside-down and would never be the same again.

Winds shook the crime-infested city, shocking the teens. Megan almost fell over. She would have if it weren't for Conner. And at that very moment that the wild winds had been released-

"Woah!" Breathed Wally as his eyes shot upwards.

And woah was right. For above them, a ginormous ship had appeared, but it was no Earthen plane! It was at least triple the size of a shopping mall, maybe bigger, and hovered above them. It had dark gray walls and small "windows" of light. With the ship, the winds died down.

As crowds formed and the teens looked at one another, silence reigned.

Then it was complete noise. People were yelling, screaming, and talking. Even the teens.

"Is that what I think it is?" Wally asked, his voice abnormally serious.

"I-I think so." Stuttered Barbara.

"It's-" However, Megan was interrupted before she could finish.

The flat bottom of the ship glowed to life as a picture formed. It was of the face of a smiling woman. She was pretty with her black hair and dark blue eyes, but there was something else that made people look at her. Other than the fact that she was on the bottom of a spaceship. "Hello. My name is Queen Adriana Black. I am ruler of the Agapornis personata. At this moment, we have ships in every country in many cities. We come to you with grave news. Our planet is dying. And we would die with it if we did not leave it." She paused dramatically. "We found that the Earth is perfect for our habitat, but after we found that there were humans here, we changed our plans and searched for another planet. However, we have not succeeded. We could not survive much longer without a home, so we come to ask if our kind may remain here until we find a suitable planet. We are sorry to burden you, Earthlings, but we have had no other choice. I and my son, Prince Richard, will come down to speak with any person of importance to see if we may remain for some time. Please, help us. Thank you for listening." Her image slowly faded.

Then there was silence.

And chaos.

"What does she mean?" Exclaimed Megan. "That they will be staying here?"

Conner looked at her. "I don't know."

"We'll find out!" Barbara shouted over the steadily increasing volume. "The president was here in Gotham today speaking with the Governor about stuff!"

"Let's go!" Shouted Artemis, running into the streets.

"Artemis!" Shouted Wally as they all started running after the swift blond. It wasn't long before they reached an outdoors podium where the President and Governor stood, side by side, despite their public dislike for one another, waiting.

The crowd was silent. The teens all stared at one another, shock and wonder written on their faces. The truth of what was going on hadn't entirely hit them yet. Reality was hard to grasp, but when it did hit, it would hit hard.

Suddenly, the light sound of a hovercraft met the crowd's ears. Slowly, the advanced technology landed, a large door opening. Slowly, the woman exited. She was much more pretty in person. Her eyes were sharper, too. But that wasn't what made people gasp and stare

It was the angelic wings that had been placed on her strong, petite back. And, slowly, she exited, one had holding a smaller one.

It was only then that the group remembered that the Queen had her son with her. Slowly, he exited. His dark eyes flashed and the black hair was dark against the sun. He wore silver clothes that clung to his small, but sturdy frame. On his back were wings like that of a Robin.

Barbara let out a small sigh that only Conner seemed to notice.

When the woman reached the two government officials with her son's hand in hers, she smile politely, bowing in synchronization with her son. "Hello."

"Hello." Her son echoed, quietly and sweetly. Many people in the crowd, the teens included, felt a gentle tug at their hearts. There was something about him . . . .

"Hello." The president said, stepping forward. "We have heard of your . . . situation."

"Yes." Queen Adriana said sadly. "Please help us." She requested.

The president made another step forward, speaking with the Governor behind him. "Well-"

Suddenly, the crowd started cheering for the two royals. The woman wound her arms around her son's shoulders, eyes practically tearing up. Prince Richard let his mouth slightly part and eyes become dangerously close to begging. Barbara looked at her friends, realization dawning on her. "The kid is only up there to appeal to people."

Wally stared at her in shock. "What?"

Before anyone could answer, though, the crowd erupted into cheers. "Let them stay! Let them stay! Let them stay!"

The president never had a chance.

"You may stay in the United States with the rest of the ships that have landed in the country." He said.

She smiled. "Thank you so much!" She bounded over, son in hand, and hugged him. After a moment the president hugged back. Slowly and shyly, the prince stepped up and shook his hand.

"Thank you, sir, so much." He said just loud enough for the crowd as he peered up from under his eyelids with thick, glassy pools of blue. Barbara, along with the rest of the girls in their group, let out little "aw"s.

The president turned to the citizens of Gotham. "We have to go make arrangements for the country's guests. Please, be patient with news for this new . . . development. There will be more after we figure out just exactly what we are doing. Thank you." After that, the four of them exited the stage, barely warding off the crowds and some reporters who had just arrived.

The teens slowly made their way away from the crowd. Barbara stared at them. "There's something wrong here."

"What do you mean?" Megan asked.

Barbara paused. "I . . . I don't know. But we better just keep going on with our day. It's just paranoia." She rubbed her arm uncomfortably. She still felt like something was wrong.

If only she knew how right she was.


	3. Fallen Angel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barbara doesn't know what to believe, but Dick does.

 

Queen Adriana stared down the small figure in front of her, her eyes dark and sinister even in the bright lights of the ship. She held only hatred and readiness to destroy all that stood in her path in those soulless eyes. "You understand what must happen when we complete the plan?"

Kneeling in front of her, the boy didn't tremble. Actually, he felt numb to the entire conversation. He knew what was coming up, yet somehow it no longer bothered him. Not anymore, anyway. "Yes, mother."

"Good." Her eyes showed harshly. "And know that the public must love you. Especially with the new plans being finalized. No matter what they feel towards me and the rest of the race, they must not feel badly toward you. You understand?" At her whole height in front of the knelling boy, she seemed perfectly aware of his submissive spot on the floor.

"Yes, mother." He repeated.

"That is all. I will expect you at the docking area in an hour. Don't be late." With that, the woman strutted out of the room, never looking back. If it weren't for her terrifying aura, she might have seemed like an angel with those beautiful, white wings. But her beauty was harsh, making her much less than an angel.

A fallen angel.

Dick sighed as she left the room, standing at his full height (which didn't make too much of a difference). His eyes followed her until her form disappeared at the end of the hall sharply. He let out a little sigh.

"Prince, why don't you ever look her in the eye?" Questioned a familiar woman as she stepped into his room. It was Shayera Hol, one of his personal body guards. She was nicknamed "Hawkwoman" due to her abnormal wings and her "hawk-like" ability to know what he was doing every second of the day. She was like family. More so than even his au-mom. She stood there with her glowing spear in hand, crackling with pure energy and her pure white uniform on. Even in the uninviting outfit, she was much more welcoming than his mother.

He just looked at her. Dick didn't want to answer, especially not that question.

Slowly, Katar Hol came to stand by her. In another sense, that was like his father figure. The man didn't really show emotion, but somehow, Dick had come to know him well and learned to read between the lines. He had the same unusual feather pattern and eventually came to be known as "Hawkman" (though it was probably mainly due to marrying Hawkwoman).

"Prince . . . ." Trailed off Shayera, voice low and quiet. She knew he was only thirteen, despite how much obligation and need to do something being thrust upon his shoulders, not yet developed enough to hold all that it needed to. He was too young for the responsibility and horror on those delicate shoulders.

But they weren't delicate.

He sighed, moving to sit on his bed. No sooner had he sat than his face being buried in his hands, a small murmur answering.

"What?" Shayera asked, approaching the prince hesitantly.

"I can't hold myself together if I look into her eyes." He said, eyes closed.

Shayera quickly found herself kneeling in front of him, hands grasping his tightly, comfortingly. His hands were shaking.

It wasn't supposed to affect him anymore. He wasn't supposed to feel fear and anxiety anymore. They were supposed to be gone. They were supposed to lessen after enough time getting used to the idea. "I'm scared to death of what's going to happen and I'm supposed to hold myself together in her presence, but I can't do it if I see her eyes. She doesn't care what happens to me. I'm only a reminder of her sister and a way to further her plans. I can't go through with it if I see that. I just-I can't!" His dark blue eyes seemed to assault Shayera's soul.

He was scared. The boy, her boy, the boy she and her husband protected was completely terrified. And she knew why.

She pulled him into a tight, comforting embrace on instinct. She could feel him fighting tears on her shoulder.

Slowly, Katar knelt down with them and gently rubbed his wife's arm until he slowly melted into the embrace, not wanting to cause either of them pain or unwanted, unnecessary shock. He sighed.

Prince Richard was going to die.

. . .

Barbara sighed as she closed the door to her apartment and locked the door behind her. She didn't look out the window where she knew there would be more ships than the one that had flew down the day before. Instead, she looked around. "Dad! I'm home!"

There was no reply.

Barbara frowned, walking forward to the kitchen where she found a note hung on the refrigerator. She read it and sighed.

Her dad was the commissioner, meaning that the whole "alien" thing had cost him his night off. Stupid aliens.

Barbara sighed again, grabbing some chocolate ice cream and headed into the living room where she jumped onto her couch and flicked on the television. Of course, it was the news that came on. But Barbara didn't mind. It was usually a lot better than the dumb cartoons that seemed to come on any time that she really wanted to watch something interesting.

But what the news was on made her sigh.

It was all about the aliens and how they were staying on Earth until they could find another planet to land on. As well as that, there were mentions of buildings being built on Earth to let the aliens stay somewhere other than the ship. The aliens were allowed to roam the cities they landed above and learn about the culture so long as they didn't destroy or interrupt something important or private.

Beginning to get bored, Barbara turned the channel only to hear about conspiracy between the government and the aliens. There was stuff about a cover up and even talked about how unlikely it was that the visitors were just visitors and not here to "eat our brains" or "steal our planet." Eventually, Barbara got tired and turned off the television.

As she finished her ice cream her mind wandered to earlier that day, before she and her friends found out that most businesses had closed due to the aliens landing. Whenever the prince spoke, it seemed to tug at the crowd's hearts.

_The kid's up there to appeal to people._

Conspiracy.

_There's something wrong here._

Government cover-up.

_It's just paranoia._

Visitors.

Barbara threw her dish in the sink, trying to stop thinking about it. Aliens weren't supposed to exist. But they were on Earth, asking for help. They were humanoid. Angels. They were alive. And they existed.

The redhead should have known that her mind wasn't going to let her stop thinking about it.

. . .

The next day when Barbara went to meet up with her friends again at their normal meeting place, she didn't expect to see Megan chatting with a familiar black haired boy with soft, dark blue eyes in skinny jeans and leather, sunglasses in his hand. And she sure didn't expect to recognize him.

That was Prince Richard.


	4. Call Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick almost gets kidnapped by the cool kids, and Wally attempts to arrive on time next time.

 

Barbara slowly walked up to the two of them, wondering silently to herself why the alien prince was talking to her friend. She paused, eying him. Not only that, but why he had on sunglasses, tight-fitting clothes (those distracting skinny jeans), and why she couldn't see his wings.

In the back of her mind, a small voice screamed at her to walk away and call Megan to tell her that she caught a cold or something and couldn't go out with them today. She didn't know why she suddenly felt nervous, but seeing the prince there wasn't doing her queasy stomach any favors.

She could do it. Right now. Just turn around and they would never know the difference-

Megan connected eyes with her and smiled, waving her over. Barbara sighed, making her way over a bit slower than she needed to go.

"Hey!" Barbara greeted slightly more enthusiastically than she felt. "Uh, hi, Prince Richard?"

The boy blinked behind his dark glasses and looked around as if someone were listening in on them before he turned back to her, smiling sheepishly. "Hi. Uh, Dick is fine. I'm trying to stay, um, inconspicuous." Barbara felt the heat rise to her cheeks. Of course he was. "You must be Barbara." She nodded, still completely embarrassed. She noted that he saw the blush and ignored it. At least he was a nice guy. "It's nice to meet you."

"Uh, yeah. You, too." He smiled and they shook hands a bit awkwardly (as most teens didn't shake hands as a greeting and the prince was new to the Earthen custom).

Megan beamed at her. Barbara didn't know whether to be annoyed or embarrassed. "Great! Now we only have four more people to go!"

Barbara nodded, although she looked over at Dick, a curious frown on her face. Why was he here?

He noticed her stare almost immediately. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't explain my presence. My apologies. I came here to see what your culture is like and I met Megan."

Barbara's close friend nodded in agreement. "Yes! And I invited him to join our group. After all, it's dangerous out here. Who knows who might attack him! He looks like an ordinary kid after all. Besides, he could be recognized and people are already talking about ridiculous conspiracy stories!"

"I see." Just as she said it, she noted Conner walking up from the direction of his house. His eyes went immediately to the boy standing between the two girls.

"Hey." He greeted, still watching the boy curiously.

"Hi, Conner!" Exclaimed his freckled friend happily. "This is Prince Richard. He's going to hang out with us today. He's going by Dick."

And just like that, Conner nodded and had no more questions. He was always like that. Once he knew a little, he didn't need to know any more (although he would still listen if one told him) and he would just watch them for any opinions.

"Hey!" Called Artemis as she jogged over. She looked at the prince, frowning. "Um . . . ."

As the entire introduction was starting to get boring for Barbara, she sighed and counted down her friends. After Arty, was Kaldur. Naturally, then was Wally. Naturally, Wally had a huge reaction that made Barbara feel bad for Princ-Dick, but eventually, they made it out to hang out.

Which just so happened to mean going to the mall.

Barbara really didn't mind. She was a girl. She enjoyed trying things on and joking with her friends. But occasionally she found herself watching Dick curiously. He would watch them laugh and then a sad look would cross his face that he would cover with fake laughs only a second later when he noticed her or anyone else watching him.

It was during one of those times that Wally stopped in the middle of walking and everyone had to stop and go back. He had a weird look on his face as if he just realized something. His eyes went to the prince. "You have never been to a circus or a carnival or anything before. You've probably never tasted cotton candy before!"

To Barbara's "trained" eye, his face went completely blank, as if he wasn't thinking about anything. Her eyes narrowed. She stored the information in the back of her mind as he spoke. "No, I don't think I have."

Wally clapped a hand on his back. "I know what we are going to do tomorrow."

Barbara blinked. Tomorrow?

She frowned. He was a permanent part of their group then. At least, until his species found a new home. Barbara sighed.

It was then that everyone hid in a clothing store as a group of teens walked past. Dick frowned. "What are we hiding from?"

"Them." Wally stated, gesturing to the group. "They're a bunch of rich kids who think they're all that. Although all the babes are hot and want me, they think we're nothing because of our social status."

Dick frowned, catching on quickly that he was using Earth-slang and that none of the girls wanted Wally. However, he could easily tell by looking at them that they were from richer families than the group that he was hanging out with. But he didn't think that that gave them a right to mess with this group.

An image of his "mother" suddenly attacked his mind. He flinched, remembering the plan and the necessary actions and steps that would go along with them.

It was then that the group noticed them. The teens made a sharp turn just to meet them, a horrifying idea that was about to cause trouble. In the lead was none other than Zatanna Zatarra. On her left was Raquel, who went by Rocket. On her right was Roy Harper. Then were the "terror twins" (as the group called them), Tommy and Tuppence, although Tuppence went by Tup.

All this was fed to Dick by Wally within the time it took the other group to take two steps. Dick noted faintly that Wally could talk _fast_.

And then they were there.

"Hey, what's up, Barb?" Greeted Zatanna, eyes twinkling mischievously.

"What do you want?" Barbara answered immediately.

"Just to say hey." Zatanna replied, her eyes moving over to Dick. "And meet your new friend. I don't think we've met. Wanna introduce us?"

Barbara stared at the girl. "No. Why don't you just go along spending daddy's money, okay?"

Zatanna glared at her before she turned to the prince. "You really want to spend your time with these losers?"

"Uh," Prince Richard began, but was cut off quickly.

"Because we could really have some fun. You know you wanna." Dick looked between them and the girl in front of him before clearing his throat and getting cut off again, although his time by a tall red-head.

"Kid, we can show you how to really have fun." Roy put his arm around the prince's shoulders and began steering him off.

"Actually-"

"Trust me, you'll be thanking us later." Tup said, her accent differentiating her voice from the rest of the group, who all (except Rocket) also happened to start reassuring him at the same time. Unable to politely escape Roy's grasp, he looked back at them worriedly, a silent plea for help in his eyes.

Barbara didn't know why, but it made her abnormally happy when his eyes went to hers for help. She strutted over and slid her arm under Roy's, removing the prince from his firm grasp almost immediately. "Sorry, but he's ours. We called him."

Zatanna crossed her arms. "Can't he choose for himself?"

"Oh, you were going to let him choose?" Barbara asked in mock shock. "I thought you were going to drug him and then tell him his opinions or something. You know, I figured that would be right up your alley."

Roy scowled at her. "You-"

"I am sorry, but we'll be going now. Nice seeing you all again." Kaldur started to steer their group away, but Zatanna grasped Dick's wrist and pulled him from Barbara's grip, causing the group to stop again.

"Why can't we let him choose? His choice." Zatanna made a point of playing with his jacket sleeve and sliding down so that she could "fix" it all while moving into his personal space. Barbara felt a growl die in her throat at Dick's reaction.

He politely stepped away and smiled at her. "Sorry, but I don't want to ditch my friends for a group I've just met. Maybe another time?"

She pouted. "Okay. See you then." She kissed him on the cheek and handed him a card with her number on it before sending Barbara a satisfied glare and went back to her group. Barbara felt a new growl in her throat ready to be unleashed.

"Come on." Zatanna commanded her group. Before they all started walking, Rocket glanced at Kaldur, whom Dick also noticed stared back for a moment. It was as if for that one second, it was just them. He felt a little bad for them.

Barbara glared at them before the group went back to walking again. It was then that Wally began to fill him in. "Roy and Rocket used to be in our inner group. But Roy started arguing and getting into some bad stuff, so we're not friends anymore." There was a sadness in his eyes that once again hit Dick. "We couldn't do it. And, you see, Rocket's dad wants her with a safe group. He knows Roy's guardian, so he trusts Roy. Since Roy's no longer in our group, Rocket is no longer in our group." He frowned. "We used to be the best of friends. But I guess those days are long gone."

At the sad, disconnected look in Wally's eyes, Dick frowned. "I hope not."

Wally smiled at him. "Okay, enough of that sad stuff. Show me the card!" Before Dick realized what happened, Wally snatched the card from his hand and examined it. He smirked. "Ooh! Listen to this! "Call me, Zee." And there's a kiss on here! Lipstick and all!" Wally burst into hysterics, and Dick found himself rolling his eyes behind his glasses.

Abruptly, Barbara snatched the card, ripped it in half, and threw it in the trash with a glare for good measure. She crossed her arms.

It was then that the teasing erupted and, somehow, Wally ended up being thrown into the trashcan by a very scary girl.

. . .

Wally yawned when he got home. He ate, got a shower, and turned on the television, watching the time since he was _not_ going to be late tomorrow. Finding nothing better on, he flipped on the news. Of course, there was stuff on the aliens, but it also mentioned some killer on the loose.

There had been a body found completely drained of blood without any physical wounds.

Wally might have thought about how odd it was had he not looked at the time and gone to bed, hoping that he would actually wake up the next morning.

Tomorrow was going to be great.


	5. Peanuts and Carnivals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barbara gets suspicious.

 

Everyone waited a bit impatiently the next day for their new friend. Even Wally had shown up early with all the excitement and they all found themselves at their usual meeting place at almost the exact same time.

Today was a special day.

Not only was it their second day with an alien prince who'd chosen them over another obviously richer (but not better) group, but they also had the honor of showing him human customs. It was exciting for all of them.

So, when the prince appeared, a sheepish smile on his face and the same skinny jeans, hoodie, and jacket, none of them could be happier. His smile was bright. Somehow, no one was bothered by the fact that he looked so young compared to the rest of their group. He just fit in perfectly.

Together, the group made their way to the carnival that Wally had promised that they would take him to. The place was crowded and the rides were obviously unsafe, but when the resident royal pointed it out, even Conner laughed.

"Man, it's an earth thing." Wally laughed.

"We like thrill rides." Artemis explained. "The more dangerous, the better."

Dick smiled and nodded in understanding, but there was something in his eyes that made Barbara frown. He looked hesitant, almost fearful. It was almost like he was trying to find a reason to leave.

Once again, though, she looked the other way.

Naturally, Dick turned out to be a regular adrenaline junkie, dragging Wally and Artemis on so many rides that Wally was sick.

But no one complained. When the youngest laughed, there was just something in his eyes that made everyone happy. And that happiness seemed to make them gravitate toward him. So it really wasn't much of a surprise when Conner won both him and Megan stuffed animals or when Artemis beat up a guy who laughed and made rude comments toward the boy when he was too short for one of the rides.

Only Barbara seemed to have any reservations.

But even they were slowly disappearing. She smiled and laughed with him and couldn't help every grin that slid onto her face when he did anything-anything at all!

Their group suddenly seemed empty without him. They all hoped silently that the aliens didn't leave. At least not yet. They loved him too much.

When nightfall came, the real festivities began. The air was warm and carried the smells of the carnival everywhere within. Their group was gathered happily, laughing together as Wally received his prize for winning the eating contest. There was a huge grin on his face along with a few crumbs from the food.

"That was pretty sweet! Did you see the looks on those guys faces when they saw me? Oh, man! That was priceless!" Wally laughed.

"I'm surprised you didn't get sick, Baywatch." Artemis said, looking a little green.

Kaldur laughed. "After all this time, it shouldn't surprise you anymore." She shrugged in agreement.

After a short laugh from Dick, they all noticed as his cobalt eyes wandered to the sky where the ship hovered over Gotham. For a moment, his expression was unreadable before a carefree grin filled his face. This time, though, everyone noticed.

"Is there something wrong?" Kaldur asked, slight worry in his tone.

A look of surprise crossed his face before he smiled sheepishly. "Oh, no. I was just thinking about the time. It's getting kinda late, and I can't be late again tonight."

"Oh, sorry." Apologized Megan immediately, remorse in her big brown eyes. "We didn't mean to make you late yesterday!"

"Oh, no! It wasn't your fault! Don't worry about it. I'm just good at getting lost." He chuckled, picking up the stuffed elephant that Conner had won for him. "Anyways, I'd better get going before A-Mom starts worrying."

"Hey, we can go with you." Barbara said, surprising even herself with the automatic response.

He blinked in surprise. "Oh, no. I couldn't-"

"Yes, you could." Interrupted Artemis, a devilish gleam in her eyes. "You said it yourself. You're good at getting lost. We know this city like the back of our hands. We can accompany you on your way home and make it easier. Besides, that way, we can spend more time with you!"

"I couldn't impose like tha-Hey! Conner!" The young boy exclaimed as Conner swooped him up and set him on his shoulders with a light grunt.

The group began walking, all smiling, even the prince who smiled to himself as he stuttered his thanks.

"So, where are you headed to get to your spaceship?" Questioned Wally as if it were the most normal question in the world.

The boy frowned for a moment, deep in thought. "Well, it's, ah, I'm going to one of our smaller ships right now. It's, ah, placed in the lot of a school. Um . . . ."

"Gotham Academy?" Barbara guessed.

Dick smiled. "Yeah! Thanks."

"Okay, that's pretty easy. We all go there." Wally informed him brightly as they turned down a brightly lit road for the time of night.

"Oh?" Dick questioned, squeezing his elephant that he decided quietly to name Peanut. "What do your schools teach you?" He actually looked curious.

Kaldur blinked. "Ah, lots of things. The ones for younger children are mandatory, or at least in this country, and they teach lots of things. For instance, science, math, art, gym-you name it. It also has other activities that are like extras where you can join clubs like drama or archery or track."

Barbara faintly realized that he wouldn't know what half of those things were, but noticed that he kept up the appearance of understanding every word. She decided to herself not to inform him, even though she found it rather strange that he could follow along with these things despite not having a clue what they were.

She added them to her mental list of weird things about him.

However, no one else seemed to notice. Her lips twitched as Artemis looked up at him. "So what are your schools like?"

The alien blushed and dropped his head. "Most of us don't get an education."

"W-What?" Asked Barbara, shell-shocked. Without realizing it, they all found themselves frozen in their spots.

His blush deepened, seemingly ashamed. "Well, ah, when we're infants, our fields are chosen for us and we are put into specific institutions so that we learn that trade and that trade alone. Otherwise, we're uneducated."

"What about you?" Conner asked, a seemingly upset scowl set on his face.

"What about me?" The boy on his shoulders asked, avoiding their probing eyes.

"Well, did that happen for you?" He asked, his voice sounding somehow concerned.

"Yes." He stated even more quietly. "But since I'm a prince," he began bitterly, "I have special rights. I get a full education with the education of the field that I would practice in. If I am to be banished or punished or tossed from the throne, then I would be forced into the career that was chosen for me as a babe."

It was quiet again for a moment before Megan spoke up timidly. "What field was chosen for you?"

Most watched curiously as his grip on Peanut turned his knuckles white. "I-I don't want to talk about it." He stated simply.

Immediately, Wally began talking about how when he was older, he planned to be a forensic scientist like his uncle. Everyone smiled as the dark mood was eradicated. Dick sent a grateful smile and Wally winked back.

Quickly, the group reached the school and spotted the sleek, silver craft there to fly the boy up to the larger ship. He smiled and gave them each a hug and a "see you tomorrow" before dashing to a woman in silver armor with vibrant red hair underneath her helmet.

Barbara couldn't help but notice that she wasn't his mother.

They laughed as the woman pointed at his stuffed animal and ruffled up his hair. Her bright smile was vibrant as they stepped inside. Once they watched the small craft take away their friend, the group turned to one another.

"He's hiding something." Barbara immediately stated, noticing as each nodded in agreement. "Anyone else notice how he seemed to understand how the carnival worked despite asking all those questions?"

"He knew about the meaning of the school subjects as well." Kaldur added.

"And if we didn't make him late getting to the motherboard, then why was he late?" Asked Wally, his emerald eyes sparkling.

"And did anyone else notice how nervous he gets whenever he thinks about home or his mom?" Artemis asked, an eyebrow raised. "Speaking of his mom, why is she so willing to let him wander this new planet with strangers? There's no way any good mom would let their only son do that!"

"And that job that they prepared him for . . . ." Barbara shook her head. "I don't know, but maybe we can ask him tomorrow. Anyways, it's getting late. Let's head home."

They all nodded, saying their goodbyes and heading on their way. Artemis and Wally went one way, Kal, Conner, and Megan went one way, and Barbara went the third.

Unfortunately, they didn't realize how vital it would be for them to stay together.

Not yet, anyways.

 


	6. In the Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kidnapping sucks.

 

Artemis and Wally walked together, living very close to each other. Wally's house was just down the road while Arty's apartment building sat barely a block away. The two of them walked together all the time and knew each other well.

And living in Gotham, they had learned how to sense danger.

"Do you think we should confront him?" Questioned Artemis in a low voice. Her gray eyes darted to Wally nervously.

"No. I mean, think about it. He could be dangerous. We just need to get to my house. We can stay in there until he either goes away or we call your mom." At her silent look he shrugged quietly. "My dad won't mind at all. He's probably already drunk himself to sleep by now."

She frowned at him unhappily. Normally she would comment that he should go live at his uncle's, but right then, she noticed their shadow speed up. He must have realized that they were nearing their destination.

"He's right behind us, Wally!" Artemis whispered heatedly.

"I know!" He replied, emerald eyes sharp and obviously worried. "Come on! Let's speed up!"

As they hurried in the pale moonlight, Artemis couldn't help but remind herself that they lived in a very bad area. With all the rundown homes and outed businesses, she couldn't help but think about the many people that wouldn't give a rat's hat about hurting two teenagers for some spare change. They wouldn't even be guilty . . . .

It was about then that her eyes darted back at their pursuer. Luckily or unluckily, the moonlight managed to just fall on him. She couldn't help but think that he didn't belong in the bad part of town.

The man that followed them was young, maybe in this thirties. He wore a pair of glasses and a long, tan trench coat. His clothes were too dressy and his hair was too clean. There was a cowlick at the front of his hair as well, twirling in front of his glasses. His glasses reflected the moon, giving him an almost eerie look. The man's large hands moved to the trench coat and with his right one, he pulled out-

Artemis choked. "Not good. He's got a gun." She didn't feel hysterical as she thought the should, but it definitely jump started Wally.

"Run!" He growled at her. His voice held such extreme command that she almost ran with no thought. She almost listened to her brain telling her to go over her heart that begged her to stay.

"What about you?" She whispered.

"What about me?" He responded almost immediately. "No, just go. Before something happens."

"You have to come with me." She begged, gray eyes wide.

"What? Arty, no-ugh! Know what? Fine!" He sighed in frustration as a small, stressed smile filled her face. "On your count."

"One." She whispered, suddenly moving closer to him. He blinked. "Two." Her arms wrapped around his neck. "Three." And her lips were on his. He didn't know how to respond at first, but quickly he found himself pulling her closer, despite the wrong timing. She pulled away quietly, her hand wrapping around his. Her face was still so close to his. Her hot, sweet breath tickled his face. "Go."

And they both darted in the direction their hearts pulled them.

Their hands ripped apart.

Wally went the wrong way.

Two quiet shots rang out, the two teens collapsing to the ground. Their attacker sighed as he stood in front of them. Clouds quietly blocked the full moon's path, sending a shadow over the dreary scene.

. . .

Dick bit his lip as he entered his mother's bedroom. The woman herself seemed to be preparing herself for something. He watched as the awful woman sprayed perfumes on herself. She sighed happily. She wore an almost inappropriate black dress with a split up the side that was backless for her large wings. She wore human heels and had tied her flowing hair into a neat bun. Dick watched for a moment as she applied human make-up. He noticed as her hard, blue eyes darted to his. A spike of fear ran through him at that smile.

Quickly, Dick dropped to the ground, knees hitting with a thud. He bent over, forcing his eyes to the ground and balling up his fists in his lap. He made sure not to speak.

Not to breathe.

It was a long minute before he heard his aun-mother turn away from the holographic mirror and turn toward him. His fists trembled with each click of her heels until she finally reached him.

"Oh, Dickie, how has your day been?" Her smile was like that of a vulture, ready to completely devour him and leave nothing left, as she pulled up his chin so that she could see his face.

"Great, mother. I have made friends." He stated, knowing that she would want nothing left out. Her smile worried him, though, as he'd barely opened his mouth to continue as her voice, sharp and cold, interrupted him.

"What about the rest of the public?" Her grip on his face tightened to the point of being painful. But he didn't cry out.

"M-Mother, I-" He began only to have his jaw clenched painfully.

"Have you not heard a word that I've said to you? That you must make sure the public loves you? You must listen! I am your mother and demand that you obey me!" Her exclamation was harsh and accompanied by rough manhandling of the boy that sat submissively before her.

However, a boy can only take so much manhandling.

"You're not my mother!" He yelled, voice loud and cracked with suppressed tears.

_Slap!_

The boy blinked away stars as he sat up from where he lay on the hard metal of the floor. The woman that had thrown the blow turned away from him and continued speaking as if nothing had just occurred.

"In an hour, one G. Gordon Godfrey will do an interview with us. It's then that you must make your mark on his audience. You will sway them with anything." Slowly she began to walk around him, circling like a vulture waiting for it's meat to expire. "Your friends. Your love. Your family." The horrible woman stopped. "Your father."

Dick frowned. "Bu-But mother! We haven't chosen a story for the father-"

"I don't care." She stated simply, cold as ice. "Make one up."

She began walking away briskly before pausing at the door. "Get yourself cleaned up. You have an hour. Don't be late."

She had long exited the room before his quiet voice echoed around the room. "Yes, mother."

He curled into a ball, whispering words of comfort to himself, words that no one else was there to give him.

. . .

As Kaldur, Megan, and Conner walked, Conner couldn't help it as his mind began to wander. He couldn't help but think of his new friend. He had grown up in the care of his uncle (that jerk) and had subsequently never really had friends. His uncle had provided him with basic necessities but his uncle couldn't help him make friends.

Conner had been used to living alone. However, when his uncle decided that it was time for Conner to go elsewhere where he could get a better education, he had been surprised to end up in Gotham, a city known more for it's extreme crime rates than it's good education.

However, Conner couldn't have been more surprised when he had made some of his first friends there. Kaldur'ahm, Barbara, Wally, Rocket, Tula, Garth, Artemis-and Megan. Conner couldn't ask for better friends.

And he couldn't ask for a better girlfriend, despite the secrets that she had kept from him and the rest of their friends. Which was one of the reasons that he swore to himself in the very beginning that he would never let anything happen to them. Never.

And that's why he was so quick to catch their pursuer.

"We're being followed." Conner whispered. His voice was too loud, though, in the dead night. The moment the words left his lips, a black van sped up and turned right in front of him. The door opened and a white man in green stepped out.

At Megan's resulting scream, Conner yelled. Her fear pushed him toward a fight he knew he would loose. And behind him, he could hear hear Kaldur do the same.

. . .

Barbara stared down the man in the shadows. Sunglasses hid his eyes and his stylish, though suspicious black clothing hid from her too much. She knew this wasn't good. Her father had to have been back from the station already. Surely he would notice she wasn't home!

"Come with me." The man's voice chilled her.

"Why?" She demanded immediately. "I'm no idiot. I don't live in a great area of town and here's a dark, mysterious stranger telling me to follow him. I'm sure you can understand why I'm declining your offer." She crossed her arms across her chest as if to solidify her position.

The stranger chuckled, an amused smirk on his face. Barbara's confidence immediately dropped. Her father had made her train in the martial arts at a young age so she wasn't defenseless. As well as that, she was a gymnast. She always had street sense and her father and all her dad's friends were cops.

However, this stranger had her at a disadvantage. He was bigger, and she knew nothing about him. It was late enough that no one was out. In this part of town, screams were normal. No one would call the police over one or two gunshots or a scream. They were too scared for themselves. Not to mention that this man was very sneaky. She hadn't seen him until he had revealed himself. He was obviously trained in something-

Suddenly, he stood right in front of her. He was less than a foot away.

Fear swelled in Barbara as her gaze traveled up. He was big, or at least bigger than her. The muscles that she couldn't see from so far away were too clear now. She knew she couldn't beat him. He was too precise to be untrained and too big to overpower. She would need more than luck to beat him-

"Ready?" He asked, a scowl in place.

"I-" She was cut off with a gasp as the man slid a needle into her side. She gagged as he removed it.

"You'll be out in just a moment." He informed helpfully in an almost disinterested voice. As her vision began to swim, she managed to comprehend the rest of the words that spilled from his mouth. "And don't worry about the commissioner. I've made sure he has work to do."

Everything was black.


	7. Hide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone has secrets. None can share yet.

 

_Kaldur laughed, pulling Tula forward by the hand. Her wary smile broke and she grinned at him, obviously trusting in whatever Kaldur had planned. Slowly, they made their way to the edge of the waves, just out of reach of the gentle waves that glittered beautifully in the sunset. He smiled at her and she smiled back._

_"Do you trust me?" He asked gently, gray eyes probing her pale blue-greens._

_Slowly, she slid her other hand into his, smiling gently. Standing on the tips of her toes, she gently placed a small, sweet kiss on his lips. "Forever and always." Her voice was quiet, yet it spoke in new volumes for the dark-skinned boy in front of her. He smiled, gripping her hands tighter._

_Slowly, he pulled her into the water. She followed more than willingly, her gentle footsteps slowed by the water. He led her in until the water was at their waists, lapping at their bare midriffs. Seriously, Kaldur looked down at her. "Are you sure?"_

_She smiled at him again, squeezing his hands in hers. "Absolutely."_

_He smiled then, closing his eyes and letting a warmth fill his body. It slowly made his blood heat up until it burned and he could feel his heart pounding. However, he kept himself from letting a pained grimace on his face for Tula's sake. He could hear her quiet gasp as his skin split and stretched and his organ systems changed. He could even feel it as black tattoos raced along his skin, burning and sending extreme pain through his nerves._

_When he opened his eyes, he smiled at her, knowing that he now sported gills on his neck, fins on the back of his legs, and webs between the fingers on the very hands that she held in her pale, human hands._

_However, she was not smiling. The look on her face was of pure horror and fear. However, it swiftly turned to anger-hate. She ripped her hands away. "You're a freak! What-What are you?"_

_His lips parted in a silent gasp. He didn't know what to say or what to do. As she wadded back away from him, he stretched a webbed hand toward her. "Tu-Tula-"_

_"Stay away from me!" She exclaimed, taking a shaky breath and continuing to move backward into the water, letting it rise up to her chest. "You-You're a freak! Stay away!"_

_"But Tula-" He tried to approach her, but she swam backward, kicking water toward him._

_"Stay back!" She shouted, her voice biting. His breath caught and all he could see was the hatred on her face. It was pure hatred, hatred he had encountered before only from those he had revealed this form to. He could feel the sharp shards in his chest of pure pain as his heart broke._

_"Please, Tula-" He tried to beg, but the girl didn't hear him, turning and swimming._

_It was obvious she didn't want him to follow her. He had just turned back to the shore when he heard a scream. He turned back quickly, just in time to see his girlfriend-former girlfriend be pulled under by a great wave. His eyes widened in horror. "TULA!"_

_Rushing desperately, he dove underneath the water to find her. When he did see her, fear struck him. There was red fluid floating around her as she slowly sunk next to the underwater cliff-face. Her lips were partially open, allowing water easy access. His feet worked desperately to get him closer, and he found his heart beating painfully when he had finally reached her. The gash on her head was right on her temple._

_He swam her above water where he quickly slung her over his shoulder and climbed the small cliff, ignoring the way the rocks seemed to cut his feet and webbing. Once on flat land, he laid her down and felt for a pulse._

_There wasn't one._

_He tried again, only to find that there wasn't a pulse anywhere._

_Even more desperately, he pumped against her chest, feeling the way her ribs lightly cracked underneath his fingertips. These hands were the hands that last touched her. These were the hands she held. These were the hands that she had pushed away._

_He took a deep breath, plugging her nose. He breathed into her, praying for her lungs to take the air. He did it twice more before turning her head and waiting for water to dribble out. Once it did, he restarted the process._

_For almost an hour that felt like eternity, he desperately tried to revive her. However, once he slumped over her, light-headed and admitting defeat, he felt realization hit him. He was trying to breathe the breath of life into a corpse._

_And for the first time since he was a little boy, Kaldur'ahm cried. He cried over her body, knowing that it was no use, knowing that he was going to have to call the police for help, and knowing that he would have to explain to her parents that their little girl was gone._

_But he also knew one more thing._

_He swore on Tula's dead body that he would never swim again as the freak that she thought he was._

_Never again._

. . .

Kaldur woke shakily, taking deep breaths and shaking. Slowly, he sat up in bed, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Painfully, he pushed the nightmare out of his mind, letting good memories fill him.

Right. The last few days the aliens had come. And the Prince had been hanging out with him and his friends. He sighed heavily before pausing.

The last night . . . . He remembered the carnival and walking Dick to the ship so he could head up to the mothership, but . . . after that he couldn't seem to remember. He furrowed his eyebrows, trying to think.

_We're being followed._

_-_ _related so we can't_ _-_

_-_ _they don't know anything_ _-_

_-_ _the spitting image! My enemy is_ _-_

_The Light can't_ _-_

_Not my nephew!_

_Who are you?_

_What do you want from_ _-_

_-_ _know about about the Agapornis_ _Personata?_

_-Un-Uncle John?_

_It's not time yet. They'll be useful in the future, but-_

Kaldur gasped at the voices as they all seemed to simultaneously fill his head. Suddenly, he had a migraine, and he couldn't help but think that this wasn't good. Something had happened the last night, but what?

A part of him whispered that it had to do with the aliens, and he couldn't help but agree.

And he recognized some of those voices! He knew his friend's voices anywhere.

They needed to talk.

He paused, though. He didn't want to talk to Prince Richard about this. For some reason, he felt that it might scare the boy. Or he was the target. Or maybe he was involved (though this thought was immediately eradicated). Somehow, Kaldur didn't want to tell the small alien boy.

He probably had enough problems already.

. . .

And indeed the poor alien boy did. Said boy was curled up on the floor next to his bed, shaking. Tears dripped down his face and he shook visibly. He had been like that for hours, just staring at the cold, metal floor.

At first Hawkwoman and Hawkman had tried to bring him out of it, but after a few hours, they had been ordered out of the room by his 'mother' AKA the evil Queen. His problems had only worsened though the night.

And it was all because of that stupid interview!

The moment they had finished, he knew that he was in trouble. It was the way that his mother's lips pursed that he knew. He hadn't done good enough. She wasn't satisfied and thus, he would be punished.

Of course, Dick was used to being punished. Nothing he did satisfied her, but this time it would be worse.

Not only would he be punished, his friends would be punished. True, he had only known them for so long, but . . . they were his friends! His first friends since . . . since . . . .

He shook harder. He didn't know when his mother was planning it or where it would happen, but he knew that she was going to make it good. The humans would become more sympathetic and loving toward him, and he would still be punished to the best of her ability.

He shook, wondering who was going to die for his sake.

He didn't want anyone else to die.

. . .

Barbara wasn't shocked when she woke up from a nightmare. That was how she usually woke up. However, her eyes had widened when she glanced out the window and she realized that it could barely be three in the morning.

She had a very tight schedule. On school days, she woke at five twenty-six. On weekends, it was always seven. During the summer it was seven (unless she needed to be up earlier). It was very rare that she awoke at the wrong time.

So she knew that something was very wrong.

Slowly, she sat up. As she wracked her brain for some cause, she went about her business. She grabbed a towel, checked to see if her dad was home (the commissioner was knocked out on his bed), took a shower, dressed, and finally went to the kitchen to get food. It was barely three-thirty by then and, unsurprisingly, her dad still wasn't up.

Sighing, she made her way to the couch to watch the news, knowing that it would probably running on a loop.

As soon as it was on, she was assaulted by the image of one Vicky Vale, who stood straight with a frown clear on her face. "As well as the new protests, there has been violence toward worker working on the Visitor's Towers, as they've been newly dubbed. Though the workers return, one construction worker named John Henry Irons had this to say."

Barbara frowned, pausing in her munching on her Lucky Charms.

The image changed to a view of the man. He was a dark-skinned male with a good amount of muscle. His head was shaved, but he had a nice, dark goatee growing. Though his face was hard, Barbara could see in his face-his eyes that he was very soft inside. "You know, it's getting harder and harder to get to work." Irons said, sighing. "More and more people are sayin' that the aliens are bad and they shouldn't be allowed to make living spaces on Earth, especially if they're leaving soon. But they don't seem to realize that they're not getting their way by waving guns and beating on their fellow man. All I see when I look at those aliens are neighbors in need. Aren't we supposed to help our neighbors? So no matter what those men with big guns say, I'm going to keep trying to help because it's the right thing to do. I'm not going to let them walk all over me. I won't and neither should anyone else." He finished it easily with a very stern look.

Barbara couldn't help but smile. He was very strong and very loyal to his beliefs. She liked that.

However, her mind quickly snapped into focus. Riots? Violence? Though she was eating breakfast, she couldn't help but think about Prince Richard. What if he were attacked? What if he were hurt? If they were attacking humans . . . .

Would they hurt a child just because he had wings?

"That was a very touching speech." Vicky said, a gentle smile on her face. Quickly, she wiped it away, though, and continued. "And, once again, we have the interview of Queen Adriana and Prince Richard by G. Gordon Godfrey. Here's a repeat for everyone that missed it."

Once again, the tape changed. Barbara smiled lightly at the familiar boy and his mother and their interviewer. However, her smile fell quickly.

His mother . . . . Queen Adriana bothered her. It was really that first impression that bothered her so much. She couldn't help but wonder. It was how she seemed to use Dick to get the Agapornis Personata a place in the U.S. And it was the way that Dick had looked when he said that he couldn't be late for his mother again. Though his smile had been sheepish, there had been an almost terrified look in his eyes that she had been able to just see in his big blues from behind the glasses. As well as that, she couldn't believe that any responsible, loving mother would allow her son to wander off in an entirely new world that she knew nothing about!

Barbara sighed, trying to ignore the unease in her gut. Her eyes focused on the screen as Godfrey began the interview.

"So, first off, let's recap, shall we?" Godfrey's slick voice began, his eyes sharp and cocky. "You are the aliens that have let yourselves become known to the world as visitors who need help. In the U.S. and seven other countries, you've gotten permission to land. Is this correct?"

Queen Adriana smiled. "Yes."

Godfrey spoke again. "And what did happen to your own planet?"

Her smile became sad, her lips curving oddly as she spoke. Barbara couldn't help but notice the faint flutter of her ridiculously fluffy wings. "Unfortunately, our planet's guiding star, or our 'sun', as you Earthlings may be familiar with, became less stable. It began to heat up and, with our planet being so close, it made us sick and weak. At first we had hoped it was just a stage and would end soon, but it turned out for the worst, getting hotter and hotter. We set up multiple ships to help our people escape. Though this was a very long time ago when my sister and I were just children."

Godfrey rose an eyebrow. "It can't have been too long!"

She smiled lightly. "Well, it was about seventy years ago-"

"Seventy years?" He exclaimed, eyes wide.

The Queen smiled in amusement. "I understand that humans age differently? It seems that we age much slower."

His eyes still wide with shock, he spoke. "I see that." Quickly, the interviewer shook his head. Pulling himself back together, he continued with the interview. "So why Earth?"

"Well," She began thoughtfully, leaning in towards him. Barbara couldn't help but notice the way that the man's eyes dipped shortly below the heavenly woman's neck. She spoke slowly, "we were searching for uninhabited planets with similar conditions to our planet. We were unaware that humans populated the Earth at that time. Our scouts came back with information that you inhabited the Earth. We took our leave, but there was no where else to go. For a while, we just searched. Eventually, though, we decided that we should ask. Thus, we did."

"Your . . . scouts?" Godfrey urged, raising an inquisitive eyebrow.

"Yes. They make sure we're safe. They are sort of like your police mixed with . . . with explorers." She spoke. "They picked up the language and transferred it to the rest of us a time ago."

"I see." Godfrey spoke, eyes darting to the Prince for a moment. In that moment, Barbara couldn't help it when her heart clenched. Her spoon shook in her hand. She knew Godfrey. He ruined people. Hurt then to the point of no return. He was known for breaking people down on his shows more harshly than a police interview!

He was still looking at Dick.

The next question caught Barbara off guard, and she found herself frozen. Her heart pounded in her chest and she leaned forward, awaiting the answer almost desperately. She could feel her heart pounding as a pained look crossed the boy's face. The Prince shouldn't have been asked that . . . .

"So, I see that there is a Queen, but I must ask. Where is the King?"


End file.
